Hymn
It Is Not Death to Die
It is not death to die--
To leave this weary road,
And, 'midst the brotherhood on high,
To be at home with God.
It is not death to close
The eye long dimmed with tears,
And wake in glorious repose
To spend eternal years.
It is not death to bear
The wrench that sets us free
From dungeon chain, to breathe the air
Of boundless liberty.
It is not death to fling
Aside this sinful dust,
And rise, on strong exulting wing,
To live among the just.
Jesus, Thou Prince of life,
Thy chosen cannot die:
Like Thee, they conquer in the strife,
To reign with Thee on high.
It Is Not Death to Die — Text from The Lutheran Hymnary, 1913. Public domain. https://yeshuanow.com/hymns/it-is-not-death-to-die
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Questions about this hymn
Who wrote It Is Not Death to Die?
The words of It Is Not Death to Die are credited to César Malan and George W. Bethune; the version here was published in 1913.
Is It Is Not Death to Die public domain?
Yes. The words here are taken from The Lutheran Hymnary, published in 1913. Works published before 1931 are out of copyright in the United States, so you can print, project, perform and record this hymn freely. How we source and check every hymn.
What is the metre of It Is Not Death to Die?
It Is Not Death to Die is in Short Metre (6.6.8.6). Hymns in the same metre can usually be sung to the same tunes — for example, How Gentle God's Commands, Revive Thy Work, O Lord and A Holy God Worshipped with Reverence.